TOO MANY PROJECTS - TOO LITTLE TIME!

Yesterday, the ad from Alien Motion Batteries was posted and the blog got 118 page views and some comments on my Google Plus page. The first Alien Motion battery I purchased, puffed out  when the voltage regular on my garden tractor quit working. On a lead battery, you wouldn't notice anything for a year or so but with the lithium, the battery overcharged and the cells puffed up. It was sent back to Alien Motion and they were unsure of what happened but were leaning toward giving me a new battery. The voltage regulator on the tractor was checked so I emailed to tell them the voltage regulator was not working and was putting out 18 volts. Most companies would say "Sorry, it as your fault and we are not paying anything." The folks at Alien Motion were different, they asked me what it would take to keep me as a loyal customer and I asked them if they would give me a new battery for half price. They emailed back and said that would be fine, also thanking me for being honest by telling them the voltage regulator was bad. The new battery hasbeen in my other garden tractor for over a year and is working great! There are so many companies out there that are unwilling to spend a dollar to make hundreds in the future. The lithium battery I bought for them is actually for my Fiero EV but the little lead acid motorcycle battery still works, so I just haven't put it in yet. Alien Motion also has an unadvertised board they can put in the battery for $39 extra, that cuts out the battery if the voltage goes too high.  I will say it again, they are a good company and it is my pleasure to endorse them! If you are looking for a good lithium battery for your garden tractor, motorcycle, or EV, they have a great sale going on for a few more days.

LABOR DAY SPECIAL You've worked hard, now you deserve a break! Try one of our newest Alien Motion ® XP models at a super special price starting September 1st through September 7th. Still made in the USA!

Monday more work was done on the bathroom, putting up a drywall ceiling to cover the opening where a floresent light was above the sink and a piece of drywall where the old mirror was. The job is down to spackling the joints and most of them are corners. It has been awhile since I have done drywall, so am a bit rusty. 

Tuesday, the Fiero was taken to Bowman Detailing in Hebron, OH to get ready for the Drive Electric Columbus, Ohio event at Easton Mall. My wife and I had dinner on the way home at Sunset Inn  Restaurant and as always, really enjoy their down home cooking. After a good meal and a couple of draft beers, it was sleepy time when I got home, so no progress on any of my projects.

Wednesday, the Fiero was picked up and even though I was not expecting the paint to come out perfect, they said they were going to clay block the surface to get some paint over spray off. After getting home and looking the surface over closely, it appears they just waxed over it. I will admit, the inside of the car smelled really good but they were also supposed to clean the motor and front trunk but appears they did not spend much time on either. The car does look better and will be good enough to take to the show but if it weren't for all the other projects, would have done a much better job myself. They did give me a little off of the regular price they charge but I would rather have had the paint over spray removed on the motor and front compartment cleaned a little better. 

After arriving home with the Fiero, it was back to more spackling and while that was drying, the bottom of the rear bumper was wet sanded and painted satin black. The paint is drying with gray streaks in it, so will probably need to be wet sanded again and another couple coats of paint applied tomorrow.

While the paint on the bottom of the rear bumper and dry wall joint compound were drying, I dug out the spoiler and started working on it. The spoiler also had some paint over spray on it so I wiped it down with some solvent and then wet sanded it with 1000 grit sand paper. Then a good coat of wax was applied and wiped off. I thought it may need to be rubbed out with compound but turned out really good with just a hand waxing. When removing the spoiler, the nuts had to be cut off of the studs and I had been unable to find the studs anywhere. Finally I ran across some 1/4 inch hanger bolts that ended up working great.

HANGER BOLTS

A tool is made to install hanger bolts but Home Depot did not have one, so a 1/4 inch coupling nut and a 1/4 inch bolt were used to thread them into the spoiler towers.

HOME MADE INSTALLATION TOOL

HANGER BOLTS INSTALLED

A pretty busy evening but well worth all of the work, as projects are starting to come together enough I can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for visiting,

Randy

NATIONAL DRIVE ELECTRIC WEEK - COLUMBUS, OH

Recently I signed up to take the Fiero to National Drive Electric Week - Columbus, OH, to be held on September 12, 2015 at Easton Town Center.

   

National Drive Electric Week Event - Columbus

Day:	Saturday, September 12, 2015
Time:	9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Location:	Easton Town Center 3945 Easton Square Pl Columbus, OH 43219

 to attend this event.

 to help the organizers for this event.

 the organizers for this event.

Last week troubleshooting was done on the retractable headlight motors, and it was finally discovered that a fuse was blown and the positive connector on the main contactor was not fully seated. The connections were cleaned with alcohol and coated with Nolox, zinc connection compound.

LIGHTS STUCK IN OPEN POSITION

HEADLIGHT MOTOR SCHEMATIC

HEADLIGHT DOORS CLOSED

The body of the Fiero is a mess, with a bad repaint job dull and flaking off in areas but I took the car to Bowman Detail Shop in Hebron, Oh, and they feel they can make the car look better. An appointment was made to have the car detailed next Wednesday. The bottom of the bumpers and ground effects on the side of the car is going to be wet sanded and painted satin black and the driver side was painted this morning.

SIDE GROUND EFFECT PAINTED SATIN BLACK

Also, a couple of nicks in the front of the hood were painted gloss black. If I have time, I may try to put a little body putty in them and then paint them again.

NICKS IN HOOD

Still quite a bit of work to do to get the car in shape to take to the National Drive Electric Week event and EVCCON but hopefully everything will come together.

Randy